


To Hell and Back

by Gennaitis



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan, The Heroes of Olympus - Rick Riordan
Genre: Book 4: House of Hades, Demigods, Doors of Death, F/M, Gods, Hell, Tartarus
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-13
Updated: 2016-03-13
Packaged: 2018-05-26 09:16:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,735
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6233026
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gennaitis/pseuds/Gennaitis
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Bob the Titan had never come to their aid, and Percy and Annabeth were forced to face the Doors of Death alone, or so they thought...</p>
            </blockquote>





	To Hell and Back

Being a ghoul was not as fun as she had wished for. Annabeth felt weak and and heavy, but she was also like a breeze, a shadow. All of her movements were turtle-like. Percy's shirt was being tugged by Annabeth; She would not let go of his shoulder, and neither would he let go of hers. They held themselves together, kept eachother close, because everything else around them was unknown and dangerous.

Annabeth perked her ears. She was sure she could hear the low grouse and murmurs of monsters not so far away. Monsters, and many. She could make out thousands. Annabeth should have been horrified, but she was saving every last bit of emotion, everything left she had left to feel, to keep going. She risked a glance at Percy. He looked awful, despite the ghoul disguise. Sunken cheeks and cheekbones sharp as knifes. Cracked lips and broken nails. Their bodies had reached a Simpson colour. Bruises bloomed like fireworks on their skin. They'd be mistaken as corpses, even without the magic Akhlys had cast on them, that was for sure.

Percy looked ahead, his eyelids half closed. His eyes were not focused on anything. The usual brightness and liveliness that brimmed his eyes every day was gone. They looked dead. It almost made Annabeth sorry to shake him out of his brief moment of peace. They had battled monsters all day...or night, it didn't matter.

"Percy." She croaked. It had been a long time since Annabeth had said anything that wasn't louder than a croak. With the arm she had around Percy's neck, she combed his entangled hair. It had rocks and shards of glass in it. He also reeked of sulfur and blood and poison. "Percy," Annabeth tried again. "We've reached the Doors." Percy remained silent, balancing back and forth. Looking...dead. For exactly three seconds of extreme horror and another two to realize that her mind was only playing tricks with her again, Annabeth inhaled and caught her breath so suddenly she began a series of unstoppable coughs. Every breath she took in felt like a spoonful of dust, and she coughed her throat raw. Then she barfed. Or would have, if there had been anything inside her stomach to throw up.

"Anna...beth?" His eyes widened like an owl. Her legs buckled and she flopped to the floor, bending Percy down. There was no more strength in him to pick her up, and there was nothing left to do except wait for her to stop her coughing. Percy took a step back, to give Annabeth some space. The ground was mushier and something popped underneath the soles of his torn apart shoes, spraying liquid everywhere. Percy hissed (as he was too out of breath to scream) as the liquid ate his shirt like fire, leaving a big penut-like hole in it. Annabeth discerned that he had stepped on an artery flowing with water from the Plegethon river. It burned like fire, but it must have healed him because Percy stood straighter and with quivering hands he sank his hands deep into the pillow-like ground. He brought it to his mouth and gurgled as he drank it. He repeated the process, but brought it near Annabeth. She wiggled away, but Percy took the back of her head and tried to ignore her pleads, "No, no, no, no. Percy, please! Don't make me! Please!" He did, anyway. Forcefully and eyes full of regret. There was no other way they would make it in the condition they were in. Percy watched her swallow, and he drew her head into his chest and held her there tightly until the pain passed away.

"The Doors," Annabeth said, standing up. She could feel the fire churning inside her stomach. "It looks like..."

"The elevator of the Empire State building." Percy finished for her.

"Why?" She asked.

"Beats me," He grabbed her hand, "Come on, I want to see the light again."

_ _ _

There were. So. Many. Monsters. Percy worried the ghoul glamour would burn off at any second. It definitely made them sluggish, but so far no monster had seen them, and they were slipping through them without trouble. The only problem was the next step; Getting on the elevator. Two Titans guarded the doors. Percy growled when he saw Hyperion in his shining gold armor. Krios was next to him, shouting random numbers and ordering monsters inside the doors. The doors were chained to the ground, and there was thick purple smoke that made them quint to see hovering over them like a blanket. Bat-like creatures swooped down, claws extended, diving to poke at bigger monsters, who swatted them unconscious and chewed them up like they were a triple cheese burger. Quite a view.

Annabeth racked her brain making a plan, and Percy waited patiently by her side. When she was done, she turned to him. "The chains," she began. "They are keeping the doors from it's normal flow. They are supposed to move around, but the chains are keeping them here so all the monsters can get out."

"So we brake the chains." Percy said, not even bothering to make it sound like a question.

"Yes. Now. The elevator must have some way of working. Krios has been pushing the up button for twelve minutes while the monsters are inside, do you think it's important?"

"Maybe the button needs to be pressed for the elevator to move." He suggested.

"Why twelve minutes, though. Twelve Olympians?"

"Twelve Titans? Twelve months? You're asking me?"

"Anywho, that doesn't matter at the moment. We need to get to the Doors and distract Krios and Hyperion somehow. Any ideas how?"

Percy thought for a moment. It was impossible. This was impossible. Everything they had done, for a moment, felt like a waste. They would never get to those doors without being noticed, he had never seen so many monsters huddled together in one place. He could see the creatures' anxienty, licking their dry purple lips, their bloodred eyes popping from their sockets, waiting to ride the elevator and rip some demigods' heads. He was about to tell Annabeth he had, yet again, no clue of how to advance when the floor began to tremble. She and Percy heard strong footsteps, hard enough to crack marble. They had to hold on to eachother and spread their feet apart to keep themselves from falling. It was just great, the last thing they needed was another enormous monster.

Then something exploded behind them. A fiery rocket of bright red flames soared overhead, illuminating meters and meters of land ahead. The air warmed up and heated Percy's insides. There was a shriek of a monster, high-pitched like a microphone when it's close to a speaker. Both demigod's watched in horror, and amazement, how a hundred monsters scorched before them. The already dry trees caught fire and lit up with blue flames. With the trees like toches, Percy could finally fully see his surroundings. He wished he hadn't.

"Damasen!" Annabeth exclaimed with delight. It was the first time he had seen Annabeth this happy since Arachne pulled them into Tartarus. Tears gathered at her eyes. Percy felt like crying as well, but Damasen's bushy eyebrows and the eyes he supposed were underneath them were locked on him, and he knew what he had to do.

"Annabeth, this is our chance! We have to get to the doors!" Percy had a hard grip on her arm. It felt different, being the one who told Annabeth what to do.

"But Damasen came," Her eyes plead with exhaustion. "We need to help him!"

Part of him, agreed with Annabeth. Oh, how much he wanted to fight by the giant's side, but he knew Damasen had come to their aid. He would not let his sacrifice be in vain. "Gods, Annabeth, I know, I know!" He yelled because he wanted to convince himself too, "But we can't fight this time. Not this time." Percy heard the gushing sound of Damasen's drakon bone lance sinking into another monster's flesh. He saw from the corner of his eye, the Maeonian drakon fighting with him side by side, slashing its sharp tail and sending monster flying away. Damasen's skin glowed like a god's. Percy was reminded of a bigger version of Ares, but Damasen glowed oh so much more brightly. His long locks of braids swung as he spun around to squash a creature with his big reptilian and long-clawed foot. He was a warrior, Percy thought. He could defeat Ares, if he wanted to.

Now it was him, Percy, who didn't want to leave the giant's side. His hand slipped into his pocket and his fingers seized around his ballpoint pen. And then it was Annabeth, who was dragging him away. She took Percy by his shirt and sprinted. "You're right, Percy. Damasen is doing this for us." She was back to herself, Percy could see she had her brave and strategy-planning face on. A million thoughts raced around inside her mind, but he could clearly see them in her eyes. He knew it was something only a child of Athena could do.The piece of cloth she had been using as a hair tie had undone itself at some point and her golden hair fell over her face, covering her left eye. The fact that she had twigs and debris in her hair and probably blood on her face didn't matter to Annabeth made him love her even more.They would get out of here. They would.

Luckily, the two Titans guarding the elevator, Hyperion and Krios, were distracted. With the avalanche of monsters endeavoring to take on Damasen, the Titans were stuck in the middle of the chaos. Monsters pushed forwards, making it almost impossible for them to move. Annabeth and Percy both had their swords out. Annabeth carried the drakon bone sword Damasen had carved for her with a certain pride. Percy had never seen her fight so vigorously.

They reached the doors with the screams and roars and clashing of swords still resonating in their ears. At one point, while watching Annabeth cutting monster after monster, Percy had made the math. He knew that even with the giant's enormous help, only one of them would get of of this hell, and that there was no way it would be him. It was patent she had figured it out as well, but he would not mention it.

"You cut left. I do the right." Percy told her, and were already at it. The chains split apart and clanked to the ground. In no time, they were both back to the doors. There was a brief moment of silence, Annabeth stared at him, and Percy could not make out what she was thinking. Notwithstanding, whatever she said would not change his mind.

-

Percy punched the open button, and the elevator's doors slid open with grace. He had forgotten that anything could act so smoothly. Everything down there was rough as sand paper and sharp as broken glass. He slipped his foot inside to prevent the doors from closing and ordered her inside, "Get in." But instead of sounding brave his voice quivered.

"You don't always have to be the hero, Percy." She said.

"And I am not. You will, when you save us all." He said.

"Stop saying that! What will I do when Gaea awakens, take out my computer and send her a mail 'Please go back to sleep?'" No, she knew what she would have to do, and Percy also knew that she had to go. She had to lead the others.

"The crew needs you, you know this, Annabeth! I know you know. You always know, so why won't you let me do this." Percy's head sunk down, she could see his spine peeking from underneath his shirt. His skin was tight against his bones. She bet she could count his ribs. But none of this mattered, she was only trying to avoid the truth in Percy's words. The truth she sadly already knew.

Annabeth had never been stubborn, she was quick with decisions, it was a strategy.

She wanted to be stubborn now.

"You said we would stay together! You said you would kill Gaea!" Her tears leaked from her eyes and her sobs came out as ugly gasps. She wanted him to hug her and magically teleport them away. She wanted Percy to kiss her and tell her all her memories were nightmares.

Instead, he growled. "You know this is pointless, Annabeth. Fighting for me to go. You know we are wasting the time Damasen has granted us."

For once, all Annabeth wanted was to be the stupid blonde girl, even if that meant Percy hating her. "We," She breathed, because her annoying sobs were choking her, "were staying together." She hugged her stomach, hoping it would feel like Percy's arms around her.

It took every will of Percy's not to cry. Not to kiss her and lace his hands with hers until she stopped crying, but if he did she would never board the elevator. If she could only be mad at him, to yell at him...

"We are," He told her. "Were staying together. Just a little far away." Annabeth snorted and broke into a more heart breaking sob. He didn't even feel the tears spilling and gathering at his jaw.

"Do you even know what together means?" She chortled. Percy broke into a smile. He smashed his lips against hers. It lasted as long as a bite of cotton candy, but with the lasting flavour. Percy pushed her inside the elevator, "Damasen nor I will die until every last monster lays at our feet," He promised, "I love you, Annabeth." Before anything else could be said, he withdrawed his foot from the panels and they closed.

\- . - . -

Eleven. Twelve. Thirteen. Fourteen. Fifteen. I remove my thumb from the button three minutes after what I think has been twelve minutes. I hope Annabeth made it. No, I pray to every single god I know. Damasen is barely keeping up, but who can blame him. He's been straight at it for almost half an hour. The monsters are toppling over him. They're crawling up his dragon legs. I make a beeline towards his way, Annabeth's promise still fresh in my head. Her soft hair that brushed my neck only a few seconds ago still tingling.

"Need a hand?" I ask Damasen, already gutting a few Gegeines. The giant grunts, apparently not suprised to see me, but there's a feint grin underneath that crunched up face of his. Big droplets of sweat trickle down his forehead and shoot into the sky when he shakes his head. I stand my ground, and try to gather every last bit of power within me. I need to get back. For Annabeth. For the crew. For Damasen. For Camp Half-Blood. I repeat this in my head. My hair is damp with sweat and a familiar feeling grips my gut.

I feel every power I've ever felt before. It shakes my insides and tightens my skin. It makes my teeth chatter.

I get a whiff of the pungent smell of sulfur, and I throw my hands up with force, knowing what's coming. I let my thoughts flow like a stream, as a wave of black glittering Cocytus water tumbles through every gap and bathes the monsters in lamentation. I make sure to keep Damasen and the Maeonion drakon safe as I let the River Acheron rise and spill over the suffering souls like a cascade. Finally the Lethe river washes away the remaining monsters and erases every last memory they've had.

I feel tired, and broken, but surging with power. Someone gurgles and trembles beside me like a squashed bug. I try to ignore it. What would Annabeth say. What would Chiron say if they saw what I had just done? The problem was that at the moment when lamentation fell upon those monsters, I had felt great. Better than any day I had spent in Tartarus. I don't remember cackling, but I have a feeling I did. Everyone should be terrified of me. Everyone is. I drop to the floor, Damasen doing so after me. We don't say a word. I hope he doesn't tell anyone.

How I licked my lips and watched them suffer.


End file.
